Celebration of the popular graphic tradition of Signage in Tepito.
With the beginning of the Tepito Lettering Meeting at the José María Velasco Gallery, the art of the brush and popular typography, within the framework of Art Week, seeks to exhibit this craft that gives a unique identity to neighborhoods.
The label as identity and cultural resistance
During the inauguration of the meeting, Quetzalcoatl Molina, curator of the exhibition “Signs should not die”, emphasized that these expressions are much more than simple commercial advertisements; they are the visual DNA of the capital.
- The exhibition will bring together about 100 pieces by 30 brush artists.
The exhibition will have special interventions on February 7 and 8. National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL)
Molina stressed that the current project goes beyond the exhibition, since it works together with the Historic Center Trust for the conservation of existing pieces.
“Paint has been applied to the signs that are dirty or in poor condition to protect their typography and identity,” he explained. This rescue work is vital to keep alive the essence of street stalls, inseparable elements of the economic and social life of the city.
Towards Intangible Cultural Heritage
One of the most relevant points of this meeting is the legislative progress for the protection of trade. Last September, a bill was submitted to declare signage as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico City, a proposal that already has the favorable vote of legislators.
The exhibition will be open until April 5. | National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL)
The next step, as reported in the gallery belonging to the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL), will be the creation of interdisciplinary working groups.
Researchers, photographers, and, primarily, the sign makers themselves will participate in these sessions, in order to carry out an in-depth investigation that supports the safeguarding of this tradition that marked the visual history of the Mexican twentieth century and that refuses to disappear under layers of institutional white paint.
Live interventions, lyrics, and sound
The program of the meeting offers an immersive experience that runs until February 8.
Attendees will be able to witness live artistic interventions on the façade of the gallery and surrounding shops, by masters such as Isaías Salgado, who has 40 years of experience and collaborations with designer Carla Fernández, along with other exponents such as Beatriz Gutiérrez and José Mosqueira.
The academic and festive agenda includes the presentation of the book Some Mexican Rótulos on Saturday, February 7, accompanied by a talk with specialists.
Signage seeks a place as Cultural Heritage. | National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL)
Finally, on Sunday, February 8, the closing will be a celebration of popular culture with an exhibition of posters from the Gráfica Sonidera project and a surprise DJ set.
The main exhibition will remain open to the public until April 5, located at Peralvillo 55, Morelos neighborhood.
Source: Posta
